SAN ANTONIO — A driver is dead after attempting to flee from deputies in a stolen truck during a short pursuit on the west side early Sunday morning, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office said.
BCSO said it started near the 6400 block of Old Highway 90 after 12:30 a.m. when a gang unit deputy and her partner saw a gray pickup truck driving in oncoming lanes without headlights on, going back and forth between correct lanes and oncoming lanes. They said the deputy activated her lights and the truck accelerated away before it was t-boned by another vehicle at the intersection of Old Highway 90 and Callaghan.
Authorities said the truck hit a utility pole and rolled over, ejecting the driver who was pronounced dead at the scene. They said the entire pursuit went about 1.2 miles and lasted only a minute.
The two occupants of the other vehicle were checked out by EMS, and the passenger was taken to the hospital for further evaluation after complaining of pain in the face.
Investigators later determined that the truck had been stolen, and found what they believed to be evidence of property crimes in the vehicle. They also got a search warrant for the hotel where they believed the suspect had been living, and found methamphetamine and other items they believed were stolen in the room along with a woman who they arrested.
25-year-old Angelica Avilez was arrested for possession of a controlled substance 4 grams- 200 grams and taken to the Bexar County Jail.
The medical examiner's office is still working to identify the man, but BCSO believes he's a 39-year-old man who had an active warrant for fraud out of Michigan.
"As a result of the fatal accident occurring during a pursuit, the BCSO is handling this case as an custodial death. As all custodial deaths are handled, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office Public Integrity Unit is conducting separate, but concurrent investigations with the Internal Affairs Unit, Criminal Investigations Division, and the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Division," BCSO said. "The Deputy who is a 5 year veteran with the BCSO Gang Unit, will be placed on 10 days of administrative duty in accordance with critical incidents."